It is being received by email, appearing to be a resume or job application with a zip file attachment. By opening this attachment or the files it contains, it installs on your computer an immediately begins encrypting all drive’s attached to your computer – including network drives.

This infection runs completely in the background, and most likely the first time you will even notice is when you try to open a file and it appears to be corrupted. When looking in folders you may notice files labelled HELP_DECRYPT – in multiple file formats.

If you receive an email with a zip file attachment from someone you don’t know, or that appears to be a resume please delete it immediately (without opening). If you have opened the file already, please turn your computer off straight away, disconnect it from the network (remove the blue network cable) and contact us immediately.

At present there is no way to recover files once they have been encrypted – except by recovering from backups, however if your backups are directly attached to the infected computer these can be corrupted too.

Please distribute this to your staff so they are also aware.

If you have any queries please don’t hesitate to give us a call.

We receive calls each month from panicked clients who have had a scammer call pretending to be from Microsoft, Telstra or some other reputable organization. Whilst the story varies each time, it’s typically along the lines of they have detected virus activity on your computer, and for a small fee they can connect remotely and fix the problem.

In one recent case, once the scammer had been given remote access they proceeded to erase all the data on the persons computer. In addition they used the credit card provided to make a number of fraudulent transactions. Luckily we were able to recover majority of the critical data, however some data was still lost.

If you receive one of these calls, the best advise is to just hang up. Don’t ever provide them with your credit card details, or banking information. If you have already had one of these scammers remotely access your computer, we recommend you contact your financial institution ASAP (and keep a close eye on your accounts), then have your computer checked over by a trusted IT Company.

SCAMwatch (a website run by the ACCC) has some great advice on handling these types of calls.

• If you receive a phone call out of the blue from someone claiming to be a representative of Telstra and their call relates to a problem with your internet connection, just hang up.
• If you have doubts about the identity of any caller who claims to represent a business, organisation or government department, contact the body directly. Don’t rely on contact details provided by the person – find them through an independent source such as a phone book or online search.
• Remember that you can still receive scam calls even if you have a private number or have listed your number on the Australian Government’s Do Not Call Register. Scammers can obtain your number fraudulently or from anywhere it has been publicly listed such as in a phone book.
• Don’t let scammers press your buttons – scammers use detailed scripts to convince you that they’re the real deal and create a high pressure situation to make a decision on the spot.
• Always keep your computer security up to date with anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a good firewall. Only buy computer and anti-virus software from a reputable source.
• Never give your personal, credit card or online account details over the phone unless you made the call and the phone number came from a trusted source.
• Never give a stranger remote access to your computer, even if they claim to be from a reputable business.
• If you think your computer’s security has been compromised, use your security software to run a virus check. If you still have doubts, contact your anti-virus software provider or a computer specialist.
• If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately.

Report

You can report scams to the ACCC via the SCAMwatch report a scam page or by calling 1300 795 995.

Perth Systems is pleased to introduce a new product to our cloud services line up. Perth Systems’ Utopia Exchange provides your business with the latest Microsoft Exchange based email powered from the cloud without any upfront hardware or software purchase costs. Plan’s available starting from just $2.95 per month!

For more information on other Utopia Services Products currently available, including our leading backup and security products head on over to the Utopia Services section on our website.

About Perth Systems Utopia Exchange

Perth Systems Utopia Exchange is a cloud based email solution ideal for small to medium businesses. Based on the enterprise grade Microsoft Exchange 2010 platform Utopia Exchange is more than just another email system – its a powerful collaboration tool, allowing you to manage contacts, calendars, tasks and email whether you are at your desk or on the go.

Key Features:

• Australian Based Data Centres – perfect for the professional services industries required to retain data within Australia
• Multi Platform and Device Support – Utopia Exchange will work on Windows, Mac, Android, IOS, Windows Phone, Ipads, Tablets, Desktops and Laptops. In fact almost any device that is internet enabled can access the powerful Outlook Web Access interface.
• Active Sync Enabled – Synchronize not only your email but your contacts, calendar and task list across all the devices you use on a daily basis. Add an appointment to your calendar from your desktop before you head out to a meeting, and within seconds view the appointment on your mobile phone.

We have a range of plans available ranging from simple web mail only access – perfect for users who only check their emails periodically, or work on secured systems through to Premium plans which can even include a full license of Microsoft Outlook.

To view the product brochure, and learn more about Utopia Exchange - head on over the the product page. Or contact our office on 08 6365 2074.

Adam can be contacted in the office on (08) 6365 2074 or via email support@perthsystems.com.au.

How does this make a difference to you?

Not a lot changes in terms of how you get in touch with us.

The easiest method is to send us an email to support@perthsystems.com.au, and our support system will automatically create a ticket
on your behalf. As always you can also contact us via phone on 08 6365 2074.

Once your ticket is logged into the support system you will automatically receive updates via email as your request is processed. You will also be notified of our responses and status changes to your tickets via email as well, and you can update the ticket yourself by replying to these emails.

The first time you send us a support query, you will receive an email with activation instructions to login to our service desk portal at servicedesk.perthsystems.com.au. With your login details you can view our growing list of user guides which cover completing basic tasks like changing your password or adding a signature to your email. You will also have access to your current and past support tickets.

For business owners and managers we can give you administrative access within the support portal to view all tickets submitted by your staff. This is great for keeping track

We love hearing from you

We strive to give you an awesome support experience with every query, and your feedback will help us get there faster. We will be sending out satisfaction surveys for you to rate your support experience with us periodically.

If you have any doubts or queries regarding our new support tools and policies, please drop us a line at support@perthsystems.com.au, and we’ll be glad to assist you.

And make sure you visit our new support portal at servicedesk.perthsystems.com.au

The newly name Correspondence Management section retains the existing features from the old Investigations – your pathology results will appear here as normal, as will any letters, documents or discharge summaries sent via MD Exchange. However new to this version, scanned documents/letters/results can now be setup to show in the list.

The interface to the Correspondence Management section has also been refreshed and looks quite different. It also has alot more features built in to help you with managing results.

Rather than re-invent the wheel i’ve attached a power point presentation made by Katrina Otto from Train IT Medical. The presentation gives you an overview of the new features and how to use them. It’s well worth the read.

Check out the Presentation here.